Mi Heng
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| Mi Heng | |||
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| Traditional Chinese | 彌衡 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 弥衡 | ||
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Mi Heng (173 - 198) was a scholar who lived during the late Han Dynasty of China.
Mi was a close friend of Kong Rong, who recommended Mi Heng to Cao Cao. Cao Cao summoned Mi Heng to the capital of Xuchang but did not offer Mi Heng a seat. Indignant at this Mi Heng sighed “In all this world, I can see not a single man!”, Cao Cao overheard this, and named many officers in his command who he believed to be great heroes. Mi Heng scoffed at these men not believing them to be great heroes:
- "The men you have mentioned are all known to me, only too well. Xun Yu is good for attending funeral ceremonies or the bedridden, Xun You for guarding graveyards. Cheng Yu would show remarkable talent in service as a gatekeeper, and Guo Jia’s real talent lies in reading prose and reciting verse. Zhang Liao is equal to the task of tapping chimes and drums, Xu Chu for tending cattle and horses. Yu Jin can be employed carrying blocks and constructing walls, Xu Huang slaughtering pigs and dogs. Xiahou Dun should have the title ‘Unscarred General’ and Cao Ren ‘Well-bribed Governor’. The rest are so many clothes racks, rice sacks, wine casks, meat sacks...".
When Mi Heng was questioned about his talents he replied:
- "I have mastered the patterns of heaven and the contours of the land. I know well the Three Religions and the Nine Systems of Philosophy. With virtue equal to that of Confucius and his dear disciple Yan Yuan, I could make my prince rival of Kings Yao and Shun. Think you I can discuss these things on even share a table with common people?”.
Cao Cao was not impressed, but, at Kong Rong's insistance, he gave him a position: he made Mi Heng a drum master to play at the imperial court. The previous drum master warned Mi Heng to always turn up dressed in fresh attire; however Mi Heng arrived at the next court party dressed in shabby robes and played Triple Tolling of Yuyang, a poignant sad piece that reduced to tears all the guests. Half way through the performance, a court attendant asked why he hadn't changed his clothes. Mi Heng stripped naked, angering Cao Cao. Kong Rong fearing for his friend's life as well as his own, pleaded with Cao Cao to spare Mi Heng, so Cao Cao sent Mi Heng to Jingzhou, promising that if Mi Heng could win Liu Biao's support, he would be made a high ranking official.
At Jingzhou Mi Heng made fun of Liu Biao in a tone so ironic that Liu Biao was angered. Liu Biao sent Mi Heng to his friend Huang Zu. Mi Heng appeared before Huang and compared him to a temple god — much praised but practically useless. Huang was furious and executed Mi Heng. Liu Biao, deeply upset at Mi Heng's death, recovered his body and had him buried at Parrot Island near Yingwu. It is reported that Cao Cao laughed after hearing of the death of Mi Heng, implied that he had sent Mi Heng to Jingzhou knowing very well that he would die there, and called him a "rotten bookworm".
[edit] In popular culture
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms video game series by Koei, he is one of the sages wandering China. He is depicted in the game as insulting and arrogant.
